The idea of recreating Dwemer tonal architecture lingered in Simon's mind once it appeared, refusing to leave. He decided to start with the runic lexicon that he had been unable to decipher, attempting to obtain internal information by listening. If this succeeded, it would mean that the music he heard was of the same origin as the world-notes emphasized by the Dwemer.
The mysteries of the world are endless. Simon wished he could split into countless parts to study all knowledge simultaneously, but he truly couldn't do that. And his so-called restoration of Dwemer magic was actually a difficult path; the Dwemer knowledge left in the world today was so incomplete as to be ridiculous. If Simon wanted to glimpse the secrets of history, there was only one path to take—to find Hermaeus Mora.
But this was another dilemma.
Simon thought that he wanted to study Dwemer technology to prove to Serana that people could live independent of the will of the gods, but if he sought help from the Daedric Prince of Knowledge, then it would be an affirmation of Mora's words about meeting again, and he would have failed to escape the gods' trap.
Of course, all of this was just Simon's little stubbornness. In a world with gods and fate, it was utterly foolish to deny them. Simon was fully prepared to become a puppet on strings, but he still wanted to put up a fight.
"Serana, how about we ignore that Revelation?"
"White Mountain, I actually don't really want to go either, but I'm afraid fate will actively seek me out."
"If fate actively seeks you out, I'll turn fate away at the door."
"You're joking again." Serana shook her head and gently kissed Simon's lips.
Her lips were pale and moist, like daffodils under the moonlight. Their intimate embrace made both of them dizzy; the world before their eyes expanded and contracted, all beings vanished at the edge of their peripheral vision, and all they saw was their lover's face, infinitely radiant. The surging blood in their hearts vibrated within their vessels, and in their nerve endings, tiny joys arose, like fireworks in the night. The beautiful scene seemed fleeting, yet the vast starry sky was eternal and constant.
"I love you, White Mountain, so, let me accept the Revelation, okay?"
"No." Simon smiled, "Until you change your mind, I won't allow you to leave the sanctuary."
"Are you imprisoning me?"
"I'm protecting you."
"You say that to me, do you think I'd be so easily fooled?"
"I want you to see my resolve. Just do me a favor, okay?"
Serana angrily slapped Simon, very lightly, so much so that it felt like a breeze. Simon calmly looked at Serana, so Serana slapped him again, this time with force. Serana covered her hand, "Your skin is really thick!"
"Mm, I know."
...Tower of Mzark.
Simon placed the lexicon into the slot. Once activated, the components of the block lexicon sprang open and floated, revealing the blue Core within.
Simon closed his eyes, leaned close to the lexicon, and listened carefully.
A cold, vast water-harp tune sounded, and slowly, fantastic, joyful synthesizer effects rose from beneath, replacing the water-harp sound. After about half a minute, a buzzing electrical current sound appeared, along with a clanging, hissing steam propulsion sound, like a broken semiconductor playing factory noise at full blast.
A baritone voice vaguely sounded, speaking Dwemer, "Tuning... sixty-eighth time... The Heart, very good... Summon it... Create it..." He narrated very calmly, "Failed... very normal... The six thousand eight hundred fifty-first tuning begins..."
This voice also faded, followed by a Dragon Language phrase, meaning: "Devour the dead... Dragon of the End... Death is the true end..."
The Dragon's whisper also faded, and Simon heard no more sounds.
The lexicon had closed, and the internal message had been read.
Continuing, Simon put the elder scrolls into the machine to begin deciphering... It was New Year's, and Simon gathered with the residents of Winterhold at the tavern. He also had Jonas prepare several banquet tables at the College, inviting all the mages to celebrate the New Year.
Such revelry would continue until the end of Morning Star.
It was currently 4E187. Simon knew that in thirteen years, the plot of the elder scrolls V would officially begin. These thirteen years were the last days of peace. When Alduin emerged and the Skyrim Civil War broke out, Jonas would begin his journey. At that time, no matter where Simon went, it would be difficult for him to remain outside this storm.
Serana was dissatisfied with Simon's request for her to stay put, so our Foodie proposed a compromise: to travel around Skyrim with Serana, explore ruins, and experience local customs in cities. Everything was wonderful, except it was hard on the people of Winterhold, whose beloved food shop might close down permanently.
Sure enough, when Simon announced the news at the banquet, everyone wailed. The drunkard Ranmir cried particularly loudly, "How can I live without your vodka!"
Ignoring these fellows, Simon left Jonas and Dilo at the College, instructing them not to slack off on their martial arts. Then, he took Serana and leisurely rode away on a motorcycle.
There were several long-accumulated quests in the quest log that Simon had almost forgotten.
[Quest: Coral Dragon Claw]
Quest One (Unfinished): Travel to Irkngthand
[Quest: Vengeance]
Quest One (Unfinished): Infiltrate Riverwood.
[Misc]: Help Azura find her lost item if the opportunity arises.
Just right, Simon set his first stop at Irkngthand. This peak and tomb were both named after Yngol. This Yngol was a relative of Ysgramor. When the Ancient Nords migrated from Atmora to Skyrim, Yngol's ship was frozen by sea hags in towering waves. Legend has it that Ysgramor, alone in a canoe, rushed out to sea to fight the sea hags, and the harsh weather lasted for a month. Yngol's body was buried by the people according to the most traditional Atmora customs. Ysgramor slaughtered and burned countless sea hags to mourn his kinsmen.
Nords were called Children of the Sky, and Yngol was the first Child of the Sky buried in this land.
In the perpetual snow and wind, a simple, ancient stone gate stood before a giant rock protruding from the coast. Before the totem pole made of stacked stones was an offering plate, with some frozen offerings neatly arranged. Nords valued honor and never forgot any ancient hero.
Entering the tomb through the passage under the giant rock, and passing through deep, dark blue ice fissures, they arrived at an architectural passage. The braziers beside the entrance had long been extinguished, and a pure, blue light orb leaped out from one, dancing around Simon like a restless puppy.
Serana sighed, "Nord ruins. These things are older than me. I wonder if the draugr are as dumb as the ones I saw when I was little."
After passing through the passage, there were more ice fissures. This ruin was in a semi-collapsed state, and Simon sometimes had to dig through solid ice to continue. Along the way, there were some iron sarcophagi and similar artifacts, which also contained blue light orbs. They too leaped out and bounced around Simon, very cute.
Serana: "No draugr? These light orbs are so interesting. I can see some pure obsessions; they seem to be remnants of some spirits."
Such light orbs were found throughout the ruin, in corpse cabinets and burial urns. They would leap out and bounce around Simon as soon as they sensed him.
The mechanism door in the middle of the tomb was closed. Simon, for once, chose to unlock the mechanism rather than force the door open.
Perhaps it was that deep sense of ritual that made him reluctant to damage this ancient structure.
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